Individual Behavior

Chapter 12

How do perceptions affect individual behavior?

Perception – the process through which people receive and interpret information from the environment

• Perceptual distortions can obscure individual differences

Stereotype - assigns attributes commonly associated with a group to an individual.

Halo effect – using one attribute to develop an overall impression of a person or situation

Selective perception – focuses his attention on things consistent with existing beliefs, needs or actions

Projection – assigns personal attributes to individuals

• Perception can cause attribution errors as we explain events and problems

Attribution – process of creating explanations for events

Fundamental attribution error – overestimates internal factors and underestimates external factors as influences on someone’s behavior

Self-serving bias – underestimates internal factors and overestimates external; factors as influences on someone’s behavior

• Impression management is a way of influencing how other perceive us

Impression management – tries to create desired perception in the eyes of others

How do personalities influence individual behavior?

Personality – profile of characteristics making a person unique from others

• Big Five personality traits describe work-related individual differences

• The Myers-Briggs type indicator is a popular approach to personality development

• Self-monitoring and other personality traits influence work behavior

Locus of control – extent to which one believes happens under control

Authoritarianism – degree to which a person defers to authority and accepts status differences

Machiavellianism – degree to which someone uses power manipulatively

Self-monitoring – degree to which someone is able to adjust behavior in response to external factors

• People with type-A personalities tend to stress themselves

Stress – state of tension experienced by individuals facing extraordinary demands, constraints and opportunities

Type-A personality – oriented toward extreme achieve, impatience and perfectionism

• Stress has consequences for work performance and personal health

Constructive stress – positive influence on effort, creativity and diligence in work

Destructive stress – negative influence on one’s performance

Job burnout - physical and mental exhaustion from work

Workplace rage – aggressive behavior towards co-workers and work setting

Personal wellness – pursuit for a personal-heath promotion program

How do attitudes, emotions, and moods influence individual behavior?

• Attitudes predispose people to act in certain ways

Cognitive dissonance – discomfort felt when behavior and attitude are inconsistent

• Job satisfaction – the degree to which an individual feels positive towards a job and work experience

• Job satisfaction influences behaviorWithdrawal behaviors – include absenteeism

and turnover Organizational Citizenship behaviors – things

people do to go the extra mile in their workEmployees management – strong sense of

belonging and conviction with one's work and employer

• Job satisfaction has a complex relationship with job performance

• Emotions and moods are positive and negative states of mind that influence behavior

Emotional intelligence – ability to understand emotions and manage relationships effectively

Emotions – strong feelings directed towards someone or something

Moods – generalized positive and negative feeling or states of mind

Mood contagion – spill over of one’s negative and positive moods to others